Final Top of the Crop for 2020 is on tap

Volleyball

Rob DiFranco has this week’s Morning Journal high school volleyball Top of the Crop. How did your area team fare in the rankings as the regular season comes to a close?

1: (1) Avon 18-1

2: (2) Olmsted Falls 19-2

3: (3) Amherst 16-5

4: (4) Avon Lake 14-8

5: (5) Vermilion 14-7

6: (7) Brookside 15-5

7: (5) Firelands 15-5

8: (8) Elyria 12-9

9: (10) Bay 12-9

10: (9) Keystone 15-6

Watch list: Columbia 9-10, Westlake 9-7

Crop comments: Despite dropping its first conference match in three years to the No. 2team in the Crop, Avon stays on top. The Eagles clinched the outright SWC title two days after their loss to Olmsted Falls, making it five straight titles. … Speaking of the Bulldogs, they did everything right on their end to secure a share of the conference title. They just didn’t get the help they needed from Amherst. Falls heads into the postseason as dangerous as any team in the area. … Amherst has hit a rough stretch of late, losing to Avon, Olmsted Falls and Avon Lake in the last half of the season. However, the Comets are still uber talented and are fully capable of turning it on when they need it. …. Avon Lake’s rise in the Crop has halted thanks to wins from every team ahead of them. The Shoregals have shown however they can knock off anyone at any time. … Vermilion’s win streak continued into the first round of the playoffs, with a 3-0 win over Mansfield. The Sailors have arguably been the area’s best team over the final half of the season. … The LC8title was decided on the final night of the regular season, and the winner was once again Brookside. The Cardinals held on to their crowns after a rough midseason stretch. …. Elyria hasn’t had anything easy over the past month, with losses to Avon Lake and Amherst. … Bay rides into the postseason always a threat under Coach Katie McCarthy.